Half a month later, Ning Chen arrived in the capital of the Wu Kingdom.

Now that the Wu Kingdom traded with the Great Xuan, a highway had been built, with post stations along it, so the journey went much faster than before.

The man in charge of receiving Ning Chen was the Wu Kingdom's Minister of Rites, Fu Lu.

From the moment Ning Chen set foot on Wu Kingdom soil, word had been sent to the capital.

As the Prince Regent of the Great Xuan, Ning Chen had far too many eyes on him.

Fu Lu put Ning Chen and his party up at the Hall of Martial Honor.

After all, Ning Chen had come this time as an envoy.

Not that anyone was a fool. Everybody knew perfectly well he'd come to see his wife and kids.

In the past, the people of the Wu Kingdom had held a big grudge against Ning Chen.

The kind where if he'd shown his face on the street, he'd have been pelted with rotten eggs.

Because Ning Chen was, after all, a man of the Great Xuan, and he'd slept with their woman emperor, Her Majesty herself. That was nothing short of a national disgrace.

But now, thanks to Ning Chen, the Great Xuan and the Wu Kingdom traded with each other and were in their honeymoon period. Life was getting better and better for everyone... and the people of the Wu Kingdom had decided Ning Chen wasn't such a bad son-in-law after all.

"Lord Fu, when can I see Her Majesty?"

Fu Lu smiled and murmured a few words in Ning Chen's ear.

Ning Chen slipped him a silver note. "Thank you, Lord Fu!"

Fu Lu made a show of politely declining a few times, then tucked the money into his sleeve.

It wasn't that Fu Lu had betrayed the woman emperor. It was just the ordinary give-and-take of favors.

Once Fu Lu had gone, Ning Chen changed straight into plain clothes and set off for Prince Qing's residence with Xiao Yanxi, Pan Yucheng and Feng Qizheng.

Fu Lu had quietly…